Sewing machines that were my mother's

[volsboy1]

I have about ten or so of these things and I don't know much of anythin about them.I know how to use them but I just never was

hooked on them like I was disposer's washer's and dishwasher's.Here are some pics I have took and I was wondering if anybody

knows anything about these.

 

[volsboy1]

more pics of a differnt one

Sorry about the quality its in a thing upside down

 

[volsboy1]

Here is a old Berina

This was brought over from germany.It's a Bernia machine it works also..

 

[volsboy1]

Manual in the box...

This was the manual that was in the box of that Berina Record..

 

[gansky1]

That Bernina is a sweet machine, looks to be pre- distribution of the brand in the US which didn't begin until the 60's IIRC. The Record series was their top of the line, fully featured.

The second one looks like a Japanese made White machine or similar. The Riccar is a mystery, perhaps someone will know more of that brand lineage, I believe later Riccar machines were also Japanese - White made so this may be the same.

Your mom knew good machines!

 

[danemodsandy]

Your Mom....

Was also a woman who knew her own mind.

During the era represented by these machines, God-fearin' American women were supposed to march themselves down to a Singer Sewing Center or to Sears and buy a Singer or a Kenmore. Even Brother and Penneys machines were suspect.

The lady knew quality, that's for sure. And she evidently knew what a free-arm machine was about a decade before the rest of America got wise to them; that Bernina was years ahead of Singer.

 

[norgeway]

That Bernina

Will be around long after the others!! Real quality!

 

[norgeway]

In my hometown..

We had Leflers Sewing Machine Store, he sold Domestic and Pfaff, in later years he sold Fleetwood as a cheaper machine, also he sold Eureka vacuums.

 

[tolivac]

You have some really nice sewing machines there-Esp the Bernina Record.Any of these will outsew and outlast models made today.Your Mom made some excellent choices in sewing machines,there!It might not be a bad idea to have a good,repuable sewing machine tech go over them before trying them out.Older sewing machines generally need a good cleaning out of lint and other debris,lubing and checking the timing.If there are no needle marks on the needle plates in the machines-they should be in good timing.I am sure your Mom Did not let the needle hit the plate.She appeared to be a careful sewer.

 

[brucelucenta]

The machines you have pictured are very good machines. They are pretty heavy duty ones that will work from now on, with a little care. The leader of the industry used to be Singer, but that all changed in the 60's. I am not sure of the exact year, but Singer came out with what they called a Singer "Touch and Sew" in various models. Those machines were not only poor quality, but they tried to incorporate rewinding the bobbin inside the bobbin case. That caused a lot of trouble and in many instances would bend and damage the internal components. The newer Singer machines of today are nothing like the ones from the 50s and earlier. Lots of plastic parts and such. I was told by a sewing machine repairman that Bernina machines are best, but who knows?

 

[cfz2882]

swedish viking

I recently got a Viking 6430 made in 1974;has a set of different cams that insert into the back for special patterns.Haven't tried this machine yet,but looking online,they were avalible in a variety of very '70s colors...The sewing machine I keep ready for use is a polish made,1984 vintage,JC penny branded clone of European or English singer-I like that it has a powerful motor.

 

[NYCWriter]

What a cool collection!

My mom is the only woman I've known who actually -- literally -- BURNS OUT her sewing machines from over-use.

When I was little she had a 1960s vintage something. It was a beautiful metallic blue with an outboard motor mounted on the back with a belt that connected onto the largish-wheel. Eventually, it burned out, and my dad surprised her for Christmas in 1978 with a top-of-the-line Kenmore that had three boxes of "pattern cams". She loves that machine so much that she refuses to part with it, even for something more modern, because they simply don't build them today like they used to. That Kenmore is an all-metal battleship. She has replaced the motors three times since then.

 

[tolivac]

Burnt out sewing machine motors-Not just from hard use-residentual sewing machines need frequent cleaning and lubrication-lint collecting in the works can cause the machine to work sluggish-putting a strain on the motor.And light sewing machine oil does evaporate in time-leaving parts dry-or worse gunked up.
Commercial-industrial sewing machines have an oil sump underneath them kinda like the oilpan in a car engine.The machine has an oil pump that circulates the oil thru the parts.The sump holds like a quart-2 quarts of oil.Its is changed much like you change oil in your car.A "perculator" like sight glass on the top of the machine shows you the oil pump is working and there is enough oil in the sump.If the machine is to be moved-you have to drain the sump pan back into the oil bottle or can.This type of system is needed for industrial commercial machines since they are run for up to 24 hrs at a time in a place with 3 shifts.Since many clothing and textile places out here closed-many of these commercial machines are out here.They arfe sort of fun to work on-help out at a Sew&Vac place that gets new ones--Some home sewers like these machines-or tailers get them.Then there is a tarp maker that has a HUGE machine for sewing truck tarps-this thing almost looks like you can use it on the trucks PTO!Takes two people to lift it on the bench.Also a sailmaker is one of the customers.For a person that does a super lots of sewing the commercial machine is best.And these things are FAST-1500-3000 sticthes per minute--WATCH YOUR FINGERS!!!Unlike home sewing machines these monsters work at fixed speed-unless you "feather" the motor clutch.The motors can be up to 1 Hp-induction or PM DC-this motor can be variable speed.And with small VFD's the AC motors can be variable speed.And when you turn the motor off-still be carefull! the flywheel can spin for up to a minute after shut off-If you push the clutch in--the machine will still SEW!
Oh yes-watched a new JUKIE commercial sewing machine ordered for a commercial customer--actually SMOKE the needle as it was going-That fast!!When machine go this fast an air jet is directed towards the needle area.This one had the DC motor so you could slow it down-that was at max speed.

 

[whirlcool]

My mother had a Vigorelli sewing machine, made in Italy. She probably bought it in 1954 or 55'. It worked fine for her. She could make anything on that machine effortlessly.

She tried to teach me how to do pants hems on it when I was in high school. It worked fine for her, but when I tried it the fabric got all caught up in in the foot mechanism. My sister tried to use it but it would always do the same for her too. But let my mother put her hands on it and it worked flawlessly.

When our parents passed away, my sister inherited the machine. The first thing she did was take it to an old sewing machine repair shop to give it a tune up. The guy cleaned, lubed and adjusted the thing. My sister got it home intending on making drapes for her breakfast dining area in her kitchen and guess what? The machine did the same thing for her as it did all those years ago. She called the guy who repaired it and said it worked perfectly for him. I think this is a machine with a mind of it's own. Anyone else ever see one of these?

[this post was last edited: 10/5/2013-04:00]

 

[retromania]

Your mother's machine is beautiful!! I started sewing when I was 35 years old on a $5 Singer portable I bought at a flea market. I took it to a local sewing machine repair shop for a cleaning and tune-up. The man said he was glad I had not paid more than $5.00 for it and said he could use it for parts. He let me trade it in for a used Kenmore that turned out to be a pretty good little machine. I don't have time to list all the mishaps I had with projects that wound up in the waste basket, but I quickly learned that if I was going to be successful I was going to have to be patient and develop skill. That was the key. Then came learning some techniques. I have taken a long break from sewing, but plan to get back into it. Right now I am looking for a good used ironing board. The one's in the stores are so flimsy and don't come up high enough for me. I had a bad experience with an ironing board I ordered online that arrived bent with parts missing.

 

[launderess]

Vintage Ironng Boards

Look for Rid-Jid or Proctor. You cannot kill them and they are very stable.

Have had a Proctor "flip" board for years and have nearly worn the thing out. Happily nabbed a nearly NIB Rid-Jid off fleaPay earlier this year.

http://www.shinysheepdesigns.com/blog

 

[aamassther]

Whirlcool, that's a gem of a machine! I agree, a sewing machine has it's own personality. Your mother obviously knew this one's very well!
Not to be insulting, but it could be something as simple as the threading that is causing the issues. I've learned over the years to retread the machine when I'm having trouble. Check that the bobbin is in the case properly and seated in the race all the way. In my years of teaching, I've seen this happen frequently, causing the issues you're speaking of.
Double check top threading too, could be improperly seated thread in the tension disk. Always thread with the pressed foot up.
I hope this helps. Todd

 

[mattl]

Had one of the Rig-Jid ironing boards, it was OK and lasted quite a while but eventually got unstable.  Picked up a Martha Stewart model and love it.  4 legs are VERY stable, has a plate to put the iron on, plus a rack to stack freshly ironed items.  Also, I'm 6'4" and it gets high enough for me to iron without back strain.  Think I paid $50 or so for it but worth every penny to me.  Not sure if they are still available.

 

[whirlcool]

aamasstherL

When we were being shown how to use it by our mother she'd sew some to show us how and then we would immediately try it ourselves. When it didn't work right, mother showed us how again (it worked for her) and it wouldn't work for us.

The machine came in it's own blonde wood cabinet that my sister now has. She said after it had been tuned up she couldn't get it to work right so she hasn't used it in 20 years or so. She did "antique" the cabinet back when she first got it.

She said it has the original manuals that came with it. I asked her if I could have it and she said no, it's hers now. But all it is doing is taking up space. But that's the kind of person she is. Someday I'll tell you the story about of the traveling grandfather clock and the drag queen and the bitch fight where the drag queen gets knocked down the front steps of my sisters house while in full drag.

BTW, I found out that Vigorelli is a well known bicycle company in Italy. They made sewing machines for awhile. This one was purchased in November of 1954 cabinet and all.